1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to polymers prepared from .beta.-malolactone or its derivatives.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years there has been an increase in the interest in the use of synthetic polymers for biomedical and pharmacological applications in particular as absorbable suture material, drug carriers for slow release medication and the like. It has been suggested in the prior art to manufacture synthetic absorbable sutures from polyesters of hydroxycarboxylic acids, notably polylactide, polyglycolide and copolymers of lactide and glycolide. Such synthetic suture materials are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,636,956 and 2,297,033.
There exists a need, however, for polymeric materials which not only may be degraded, but wherein the low molecular weight residues can be metabolized by normal metabolic pathways. Additionally, there exists a need for synthetic materials to which drugs may be bonded to provide for a local application of the drug and/or slow release of the drug to the body. In addition, it is highly desirable that such synthetic polymers be prepared from naturally occurring materials in view of the greatly increased cost of petrochemicals.